Chapter 237. The Industry is Too Deep, You Can't Handle It
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Of course, Cujoh Jolyne isn't exactly wrong in her observations.
The concept of "deus ex machina"—suddenly introducing a previously unknown element to resolve a plot—is something that creators of any work should generally avoid.
For example, why is Sieg from "Fate/Apocrypha" often criticized?
Is it because of Jeanne's character inconsistency and "love brain"?
That's part of it, but a larger issue is that "Fate/Apocrypha" is one of the most prominent examples of a deus ex machina storyline.
It's as if Higashide (the creator) didn't consider logic at all, simply stuffing in whatever he thought was cool or impressive without further thought.
Take Karna's weapon, for instance—[Vasavi Shakti: O' Sun, Abide to Death].
According to the setting, this is an undefeatable Noble Phantasm.
Even if Sieg teamed up with other Servants, he'd still be wiped out by Karna's Noble Phantasm.
So, how did Higashide have Sieg, the protagonist, overcome this challenge?
Simple. Since none of the Servants in "Fate/Apocrypha" could withstand Karna's ultimate weapon, and there were no legends hinting at a countermeasure to Vasavi Shakti, he simply invented one.
Hence, the shield [Akhilleus Kosmos]—even if you searched all of Greek mythology, you wouldn't find any connection between this shield and Achilles. Achilles had never been seen using it before, yet this shield managed to block Vasavi Shakti and send Karna back to the Throne of Heroes...
And that wasn't the only deus ex machina in "Fate/Apocrypha"! These kinds of events happened repeatedly with Sieg.
In this situation, does Sieg's role as the protagonist even matter? Couldn't any random character replace him without impacting the story?
...That's why professionals regard deus ex machina as something to avoid unless absolutely necessary.
A story's most important element is always its protagonist.
This allows viewers to project themselves into the story, becoming progressively immersed in it alongside the main character.
Even ensemble casts have a few lead characters who serve as entry points for the audience into the adventure.
If a protagonist's presence is diluted by deus ex machina, and audiences feel the protagonist doesn't deserve their role, they won't connect with the story.
This leads to situations like Sieg's.
Not only does he become unlikable, but "Fate/Apocrypha", which introduces fourteen Servants, including popular figures like Jeanne and Karna, ends up with lackluster popularity.
Given such examples, wouldn't a similar deus ex machina with Jotaro and "Stardust Crusaders"... make it even more popular?
Yes, the ratings went up.
Though it sounds implausible, this reality played out right before viewers' eyes.
Even industry professionals watching "Stardust Crusaders"—some out of interest in new techniques, others for learning or observation—felt it contradicted everything they thought they knew.
Wasn't deus ex machina supposed to have negative effects on a work?!
Just as they, like Cujoh Jolyne, were beginning to suspect the current audience's taste had diverged, a keen observer recognized the "magic trick" behind it all.
"Honestly, I'd heard rumors, but this new generation really is impressive," said Otsuki Toshimichi, who was drawn to "Stardust Crusaders" because of the new techniques being applied and out of curiosity for EVA's reboot.
Otsuki watched the episode unfold and commented, "It's technically deus ex machina to give Jotaro a time-stop ability, but they actually laid the groundwork beforehand."
"First, they set it up in the OP sequence, with [Star Platinum] and [The World] mirroring each other, subtly hinting to viewers that they are similar Stands. Then they further reinforced this idea through Jotaro's dialogue."
"They created an atmosphere of despair, which made the setup explode at just the right moment! By using DIO's memory of discovering the time-stop ability, they skillfully wrapped up this plot point!"
Otsuki explained why "Stardust Crusaders" felt so distinct despite its use of deus ex machina.
After coming to this realization, he added, "Green Dolphin Studio truly taught the industry a lesson here. Until now, we had no idea that an OP could be used in this way!"
Yes, "Stardust Crusaders" succeeded in pulling off a perfect deus ex machina because of its OP, according to Otsuki.
With Green Dolphin Studio's tradition of playful OP sequences from "Phantom Blood" to "Battle Tendency", the audience was already conditioned to pay close attention to "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" OPs.
Thus, rather than feeling like Jotaro's sudden ability to stop time was a deus ex machina, it became an integral part of the story.
However, Anno Hideaki had a different opinion: "Otsuki, I think you're overanalyzing it."
"The most important thing in a work is that it's entertaining!"
"Other works might suffer if they add a deus ex machina element, making it feel like an unfair move to audiences. That's why we think it's hard to handle. But "Stardust Crusaders"..."
As the battle between Jotaro and DIO continued onscreen, Anno, still engrossed, remarked with enthusiasm, "Do you not find their time-stopping duel thrilling?!"